


Apathique

by SpaceButterflies, TheStainedDreamer



Series: The Miraculous Tales of Ladybug and Friends [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Just Friendship, My First AO3 Post, No Romance in this one folks, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, a dash of adrienette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-02
Updated: 2018-10-14
Packaged: 2019-06-01 05:45:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15136421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpaceButterflies/pseuds/SpaceButterflies, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheStainedDreamer/pseuds/TheStainedDreamer
Summary: An exhausted Ladybug decides she needs a few days to rest after one too many sleepless nights saving Paris, leaving Chat Noir on his own.Everything's fine until Apathique, a cruel and heartless girl,  appears, stealing the emotions of her victims. Unable to reach his Lady, Chat Noir must fend her off on his own, that is until a new face appears and offers their assistance. Will the two prevail? Or will the Miraculous' fall into Hawkmoth's clutches?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I feel I should explain that the reason our writing styles are inconsistent per chapter is because my friend and I were going to originally co-write AU's stories per chapter, such as how we did with Apathique, I wrote the first chapter, she wrote the next, I wrote the third, such on and so forth; it was our first time doing something like this. But shortly after finishing the first chapter, we both agreed doing this was a terrible idea, and decided not do this method.
> 
> So because we decided to opt out on the whole co-writing thing and only do it with Apathique, we weren't going to change our respective writing styles for this story. If we were going to do this for the whole AU, then yeah, we would have been more consistent. But for one story, we decided not to.

Ladybug landed on the balcony of her home. A bright pink glow filled the area, and blended with the surrounding city of lights as her transformation dispelled. Tikki emerged out of the earrings in a fluttery swirl. 

Marinette groaned. "That was one tough battle, Tikki..." She said drowsily.

The akumatized villian was vigorous, it took her and Chat Noir hours to defeat it and purify the akuma. Her body was stiff and irritable, every limb, every bone, every fibre in her being had been affected by the constant stress and exhaustion. During school, she fell asleep in class, Alya became her pillow.

"You don't look good, Mari," Tikki noted, stating the obvious. The past few weeks, Marinette has had a lack of sleep, and it showed; there were huge dark circles under her eyes. Luka playfully teased that Mari's eye-bags had bags, much to her annoyance. Had she not been in such a state of exhaustion, she would have laughed.

"I just want to sleep, Tikki..." She grumbled, her body ached all over, and Marinette felt like she was going to collapse at any moment. 

"Then let's go to sleep, you need the rest." Tikki smiled sweetly, Marinette cupped the Kwami in her hands and headed into her room. Marinette didn't bother to change into her pajamas or check the time. She kissed Tikki on the forehead. The Kwami let out a small giggle, before being placed on the pillow. Marinette slumped on the bed.

"Bonne nuit, Tikki..." she mumbled, quickly falling into slumber.

As Mari slept, Tikki remembered what Tom and Sabine told her. That they were going out to the market and requested Marinette to watch over the bakery. But Tikki didn't remind her. Instead, she pulled the sheet over her chosen, then nudged closer to Mari's face and nuzzled her. "Bonne nuit, Marinette. Sweet dreams..."

Tomorrow was the weekend, and Marinette needed a long, good sleep. The bakery will be fine, the Dupain-Chengs were going to leave half an hour before the bakery opened, and were to be home by nine o'clock. What could possibly happen if they departed before the bakery even opened?

\----

Smoke alarms is what woke the Kwami up, the beeping blared from downstairs and due to Tikki's sensitive hearing, she was able to hear it. The smell of smoke filled Tikki's nose and the magical creature phased through the floors. There, she saw the bakery's state. The powerful stench of smoke, charred wood and burned sweets overwhelmed her and she let out a cough as she glanced around the room. Her blue eyes widened.

Fire...there was fire! 

Tikki's eyes watered as she struggled to focus, not even her immortality spared her from the smoke's effects.

 _The Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie_ was unrecognizable, the fire spread across the floor and had reached up to the counters. Sweets and bread that were on the counter had been engulfed by the blaze. The fire had climbed the walls, the result of the burning wood. The once comfortable and relaxing bakery, had turned into something of a nightmare, as far as the magical being could see, the room had been covered entirely by red and smoke. The only noises were the fire alarm, and the roaring of the flames. 

Tikki desperately searched for the source, before she froze. The flames were creeping upstairs. The flames cackled and spat as it burned. Outside the window, the blaring lights and sirens of fire trucks approached the blazing scene, while the Dupain-Chengs' car already sat parked in front of the burning bakery.

In a panic, Tikki flew upstairs and fiercely shook her holder. If Marinette hurried, she could jump out of the second-story window. "Marinette, Marinette!! Come on, wake up!"

"No, Tikki...sleep..." She grumbled in her sleep, turning away and covering herself with the sheet. Tikki trembled and shook her to the best of her ability in an attempt to rouse her.

"You're in danger, get up!" Tears stung her eyes. "Come on, Mari! Please!!"

Tikki's antennae twitched. There was loud stomping that resounded up the stairs, and Tikki hid in Marinette's purse. Marinette was so tired last night, she forgot to take it off. Tom arrived in her room and found his daughter sleeping. His gut feeling and fatherly instincts were correct; his daughter was still inside. He had to tear through the firefighters to get in the building after noticing his daughter was nowhere outside. He lifted his fourteen year old in his arms and rushed down the stairs. As he descended, he spotted a wooden beam that had collapsed on the steps, blocking his way.

He glared intently at the window, he knew he needed to jump through the window and shield Marinette from the fall.

He opened the window and hopped out without hesitation. Sabine screamed as she watched her husband leap out of the window with their daughter. As they fell, Tom held Marinette above him, clutching her body safely to his.

\----

Marinette's heart dropped into her stomach and guilt ate her up inside. She had woken up hours after the incident at the bakery, and was confused about waking up in hospital with scratches, and a gash on her elbow that required stitches. Sabine explained the situation to her. They had a few sweets in the oven and Sabine asked Marinette to take them out before they left to the market. Marinette apparently got up and said she would, but she must have fallen back asleep; as the sweets burned and caused the accident. Marinette had no memory of waking up, but she took her mother's word for it.

Shortly after waking up, they headed to the hospital cafeteria. During their lunch, Marinette brought a cookie and had put it in her purse so Tikki could munch on it and get her energy back.

"It's all my fault..." Marinette teared up. "If only I woke up, then papa wouldn't have gotten hurt..."

"No, no not at all, sweetheart." Sabine shook her head. "Love, I should have made sure you were fully awake before we left, it's my fault"

"But maman..."

"No buts, it's not your fault." She hushed and gently stroked her cheek. "Please don't blame yourself for this, you couldn't have prevented this, it wasn't your fault. I should have made sure."

Marinette didn't answer, but deep down, she was screaming. Of course this was her fault, of course she could have prevented it, how can her mother say that? Marinette should have been awake, then this wouldn't have happened. If she wasn't out being Ladybug last night, this wouldn't have happened, if she didn't go out to fight akumas, this wouldn't have happened. But it did, and her father got hurt because of it. If Tom was...

Mari gulped and shivered at the thought. Then, in that moment, she thought of Hawkmoth. No, no matter the situation she was in right now, she couldn't think of negative feelings. _Think of happy memories, distract yourself._

 _Think of Alya and her sassy demeanour, her humour and her willingness to assist you, think of little Manon and her toothy grin as she tears around the bedroom in excitement and hyperactivity. Think of Luka and his talent for music, his dyed hair, how he reads other people's emotions, and expresses through music. Think of Adrien. Oh, Adrien, how beautiful, handsome, perfect that boy is._ Marinette's mind was completely overwhelmed and taken over by how much Adrien meant to her.

As much as she was hurting, she needed to keep calm. If she fell prey to Hawkmoth, no one would protect Paris. There was silence for a few moments, before Marinette went to ask her mother a question.

"Maman, papa's going to be okay, isn't he?"

"Hopefully..." Sabine whispered, she brought Marinette into a hug and Marinette rested her head against Sabine's chest, fighting the urge to cry. They waited anxiously in the hospital hall, waiting for the staff to tell them the news.

At last, a doctor finally came out.

"Madame Cheng?" He asked, both Marinette and Sabine shot out from their chairs and approached the doctor.

"How is he? How is my husband?" She asked.

"Monsieur Dupain suffered a head injury and has a broken leg, but he's stable and he needs to rest. He's very lucky he survived." He said, and Marinette and Sabine both sighed in relief. It could have been worse, and while both of them felt terrible for what happened, the fact he was stable had given them a sense of relief, a sense of gratitude.

But while Marinette felt grateful, she couldn't help but to feel some dread. Their home was damaged, and they aren't able to live there for a while, they had to figure it out. Although it would be temporarily, a part of Marinette felt like it would be the end of the world.

She glanced over to her mother. "Maman, may I please use the bathroom?" She asked and Sabine nodded. Marinette went to the bathroom and hid herself in the stall, where she covered her head with her hands and let out a sob.

Tikki popped out of her purse and stared up at the human. "Shh shh, it's going to be alright, Mari...the doctor said it himself, he's okay. Please don't cry...you could be a victim of an akuma."

"It's...it's not that, Tikki, can I talk to you for a minute?" 

"Of course..."

"Tikki...I can't do this, I just _can't_. I need a break from Ladybug..."

"A...A break?" Tikki asked, dumbfounded. "But what about Hawkmoth? The akumas?"

Marinette groaned in frustration, she saw Tikki's point, but it was not something she wanted to hear. "Look, Tikki, I'm _tired_ , I'm tired _all_ the time and look at what just happened. I need a break, I need _rest_. Imagine what would happen if I were to collapse while fighting an akuma, or something like that." She pleaded, and Tikki stopped.

"Just...just for a few days, or a week, then I promise I'll go right back to Ladybug, I _promise_. Please."

"...Okay, Mari. Rest well." Tikki gave a reassuring, understanding smile. Marinette muttered a _'merci'_ and removed her earrings. Tikki had disappeared in almost an instant, and Marinette reached down to her purse. She pulled out the black container and stared at it. Her intuition howled, an uneasy feeling bubbled up from her stomach. But she chose to ignore it; she needed a break. She put the earrings in the box, and carefully placed them back in the satchel.

~~~~


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What is up everyone, it's SpaceButterflies.
> 
> Before we start, I would like to apologize for how long it took me to get this out. Between moving and writers block I didn't get much done on it until this week. I hope you enjoy it nonetheless.

Marinette can be found fiddling nervously with the cuff of the sleeve of her jacket. She feels naked. It was so weird to be without the earrings in her ears after _so long_ , but she knew if she keeps this up, a lot worse could happen. If something like this were to happen during an akuma attack... She quickly shakes the thought from her head. This isn't just for her benefit. This was for all of Paris.

Suddenly having second thoughts, she reaches into her purse and pulls out the box and stares at it. The image of a confused Chat Noir pops into her mind. Maybe she should have told him what she was doing? No. He's more than capable of handling a few patrols on his own for a few days, and if an akuma shows up, she'd put the earrings right back on spring into action. 

"I need to be Marinette for a while," she whispers to herself. " _Just_ Marinette." she returns the box to her purse.

 

Everything happens in such a rush. One minute, Marinette's in the bathroom debating on what to do, the next she's in her fathers room watching as her mother peppers his face with kisses before he falls back to sleep, then after that she and her mother are trying to figure out where they would be staying until their home was repaired enough that they could live in it, and now she's sitting cross-legged on her best friends bed as she watches the other girl dig through her closet for something she can sleep in.

"My mom said you and your mom can stay here as long as you need," Alya states, eyeing one of her oversized t-shirts.

"Yeah," Marinette mumbles with a nod.

Alya turns to her and frowns. "Girl," She sits on the bed with her, t-shirt still in her hand. "Are you okay?"

She opens her mouth to answer, but quickly closes it when she comes up short with one. "I'm not sure how I am." She finally says. "I feel kind of... Numb?" Marinette puts her head in her hands. "What's wrong with me? I almost _killed_ my dad, and I'm _numb_?!" 

The t-shirt slips from Alya's grasp when she pulls her friend into a tight hug. "Marinette, it's _okay_. You've been through a lot today, it's a lot to process."

"It's all my fault," Marinette says in a quiet voice. She returns Alya's embrace, tightly gripping the back of her shirt. "It's all my fault."

 

The day Marinette returns to school, she's bombarded by her classmates with hugs and kind words. All she can do is put on a happy face and pretend she's okay. She's Marinette, the class representative. She's always has a happy face and always looks on the bright side of things. No matter what.

She feels a tap on her shoulder and turns around to face Adrien. He seems tired, but he smiles sweetly at her, and her heart flutters in her chest.

"I'm really sorry about what happened," He says. "Is your dad okay?"

"He is," She nods. "He's getting restless already, he hates bed rest. But, the doctor wants to keep him until the end of the week, just to be sure."

"That's good," Adrien smiles.

 

They fall into an awkward silence, neither of them quite sure what to say. Before Marinette could react, Adrien pulls her into a hug. A friendly, comforting hug, and her brain short circuits.

"It'll be okay, Marinette." He tells her, squeezing some. "We're all here for you."

Marinette doesn't move. She's stunned and wouldn't be able to do so even if she wants to. She stares up at Adrien when he pulls away, both hands on her shoulders. He smiles again, squeezing them. She opens her mouth to say something, but the bell rings before she can.

Adrien's hands slip from her shoulders and he bends down to grab his bag. "I have to go. Photoshoot." He says. "I'll see you later, Marinette." He waves goodbye, leaving her alone in the locker room.

 

Usually, she'd be freaking out right about now, because Adrien Agreste _hugged_ her. But instead, she simply stands there staring blankly in the direction he left. Shaking her head, she grabs her backpack from her locker and hurries out of the room. 

She follows her typical path home, eyes glued to the sidewalk. Alya had to babysit the twins after school, so there really wasn't much for her to do aside from some homework. She comes to a stop when she hears something crack under her foot, and when she looks under it she finds the lucky charm that Adrien made her for her birthday. It must have fallen from when they landed outside. She picks it up, tears welling up in her eyes as her gaze turns to the Dupain-Cheng bakery, and her home.

The first floor was heavily damaged, and from what she heard, it'll take months for it is repaired. The top floor wasn't in as much bad of shape, but she can practically see the smoke damage on the walls, the singed carpets, the fallen beam that blocked the stairs, forcing her father too--

She turns away from the building and marches down the street, tightly clutching the straps of her backpack. She plops down on a bench, screwing her eyes such and putting her head in her hands.

"Happy thoughts, happy thoughts." She repeats to herself. "Come on, Marinette, you got this."

"Mind if I sit here?" Someone asks, and she looks up.

 

"Ah, so much negativity," Hawk Moth purs as the lone window in his lair opens. White butterflies swarm around him as light fills the room. "Such an assortment of emotions would make quite the feast for my--" His voice dies off midsentence as the anger, the sadness, the fear, all of it ebbs away.

 

"Luka!" Marinette sits upright as the older boy smiles at her. "I um, yes, of course." She scoots over on the bench so he can sit next to her. "How... Have you been?" She asks awkwardly.

Luka simply gives a nonchalant shrug, hands stuffed in his pockets. "How have _you_ been, Marinette?" he asks. 

Marinette stares at him for a moment before looking at the sidewalk. She folds her hands in her lap. "I don't know," she admits. "I'm trying to be okay. To be brave. But all I want to do is cry, to yell or scream, I don't know."

"Then why don't you?"

"Because I can't!" she snaps, faces flushing as she mutters an 'I'm sorry'. "I can't let myself be vulnerable like that..."

Luka sits upright, placing a hand on hers. He gives her a kind smile. "It's _okay_ to cry, Marinette." he squeezes her hand. "It's okay to yell or to scream... After everything you've been through these past few days, you have all the right in the world to--"

"I _can't_!" she shouts, causing a few nearby pigeons to fly off. "If I do that then what's stopping _him_?!" she stands from the bench, tightly gripping the lucky charm in her hand until her knuckles became white. "If I'm akumatized, then what? What happens then?" 

Luka watches as she digs into her purse and pulls out a small box with her free hand. She visibly shakes as she stares at the box. "I never asked for this," she says, voice trembling as she tries to keep herself from crying. "I should have gotten rid of them when I had the chance! Then none of this would be happening!"

"Marinette--" Luka fumbles with the box when she shoves it his hands. He looks up at her with wide eyes as she storms off. He stands up and follows her. "Marinette, wait!"

"Leave me alone!"

 

"Ah," A smile grows on Hawk Moths face as he senses the negativity return tenfold. "So much anger and sadness, so much fear and guilt, and all she wants is nothing more than for it to stop." He closes his gloved hands around a butterfly once it lands in his palm, tainting it black.

"Now fly, my dear little akuma," he releases it and watches as it flutters out of the window. "Let us grant her wish."

 

Marinette marches down into the subway and into the bathroom there. She stands in front of the sinks, turning on the water to wash her face with some cold water. Her hands shake as she holds them under the running water, eyes widening as she realizes what she had done.

"No, no, no, no, what did I do?!" she asks herself. Her shoulders shake again as she's wracked with guilt. "Oh, Tikki, I'm so--" How could she do something like that? "How could you be so stupid?!" she yells at her own reflection, face turning red with anger as a few tears slip past her eyes.

She puts her face in her hands, hiccuping as she breaks into sobs as the akuma phases through the door, landing on the lucky charm still clutched in her hand. The lucky charm falls from her hand onto the tile floor with a 'clack'.

 

_"Hello, Apathique, I am Hawk Moth,"_

"No!" Marinette protests, tightly gripping the edge of the sink. "Leave me alone!"

 _"But I only wish to help you,"_ he tells her. _"I know how hard it is to have all these emotions at once, I know how tiring it can be, how painful, and how you long for nothing more than for it to go away. Which is exactly what I intend to help you do."_

"I won't! I won't do it!" 

_"I know how much you wish to help people. To make their lives a little easier, and I intend to help you. Think of how wonderful it would be to live in a world with no more sadness, no more anger, no more fear. You're the only one who can help them."_

That's right. She's the only one who can save them. She always has been. Her grip slackens. "I'm the... The only one who can help them," She repeats in a whisper, although Hawk Moth can hear her loud and clear. 

__"Yes, that's right."_ he says in a satisfied tone. _"I'll give you the power you need to help rid the people of Paris of those pesky emotions, all I ask in return is Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculous'. Have we got a deal?"__

__"It's a deal."_ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sammy: This is gonna be a Lukanette story  
> me: got it  
> me @ me: add some Adrienette  
> me: dang okay
> 
> /dances/ Cliffhangersssss are fun.
> 
> SpaceButterflies, signing off. I'll catch you guys in Chapter Four (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧


	3. Chapter 3

A dark, bubbly mass consumed Marinette, Hawkmoth's influence spreading across her entire body like a disease.

Several moments have passed, before the mass dissolved and Marinette emerged - but no longer the sweet, positive girl she once was.

Her skin was a sickly grey, and her face masked with purple markings on her forehead and around her eyes. Her usual outfit morphed into something similar to Victorian Era fashion. Her dress was a dull purple, while her high collar was dark grey. There was a darker purple symbol on her chest, the shape resembling a butterfly.

Her belt, long gloves and boots were the very same purple as the butterfly. The dress went just below her hips, and grey stockings were under her dress. She opened her eyes; the bluebell eyes, much like her new appearance, were empty; emotionless.

If anyone were to look into her eyes now, they would never recognize her as the Marinette they knew. There was no light, no sparkle, no soul or emotion. Her eyes were dead. It was almost as if, the second Hawkmoth got his clutches on her, all life was drained from her. All that remained was a living husk.

Her expression was blank as her head dipped down, spotting a black wand in her hand. Her other hand, the lucky charm tied around her wrist. Suddenly, the door opened and she shot a glance. A woman had stepped into the bathroom. The first person Apathique will assist. 

The woman noticed Apathique and her pale, unnatural skin. The woman approached with a concerned expression. "Bonjour, Mlle. Are you alright?" She questioned, she had thought the girl might have been ill by the colour of her skin. Apathique didn't answer, instead, only lifted her wand. The tip of the wand, and the lucky charm, both glowed a light blue as magic emerged from the wand.

Too late did the worried lady realize this girl was akumatized. A blue stream of magic twirled around her, and the woman writhed with all her might to get free. It was almost as if she was entangled in a giant web, and Apathique was the spider. The magic surrounded the woman head to toe, and slipped in her nose, her ears, her mouth. The woman flinched and tried to scream, but to no avail.

One minute, she was full of life and compassion. The next minute, she was as dead and empty as Apathique, her emotions were stolen so effortlessly, without a shred of remorse that Apathique did such a thing to someone who cared. The magic had faded into the lucky charm, and energy radiated from it. 

_A storage, perhaps?_

She stared at the door of the ladies' room, and tightly gripped the wand. She had to do it again, to everyone; to finally free the world from their pain.

\-----

Luka walked into the docks, clutching the black box in his hand. Marinette's words haunted him, _who was **him?** Why couldn't she open up and let her emotions flood out?_ He acknowledged it was because she said she didn't want to risk being akumatized and he wouldn't able to stand her as Hawkmoth's new toy, but after witnessing her in such a wreck - all he desired was for her to let it out. It hurt him to see her that distressed.

As he walked into Liberty, his home, more questions filled his head. _Did Mari mean Hawkmoth when she said **him?** If she did, then what did she mean by 'if I do that, then what's stopping **him?** '_

He didn't understand, Ladybug and Chat Noir were the guardians of Paris, their saviours. If it had not been for them, Paris would have been in ruins long ago. Marinette didn't need to worry about what was stopping Hawkmoth.

He approached the stairs and descended. He went into his room and sat on his bed, staring at the box. _Why did she stress so much about this box? What was in it?_

Whatever was in the box, he acknowledged it was something to do with them, the items Marinette declared she should have gotten rid of. He was bothered by his interaction with her, about what was in this box.

He knew he shouldn't; it was Marinette's property, after all, but after a minute of debating, he carefully lifted the lid and opened the box. A bright light appeared and he had to close his eyes due to the glow.

Opening his eyes, his jaw dropped at seeing a strange critter floating above the box. The creature reminded him of a ladybug.

"Bonjour, Ma-" Tikki spoke as she opened her eyes, before stopping mid-sentence. Her eyes dilated, instead of seeing Marinette's relaxed smile after receiving the rest she needed, in front of her was a bewildered Luka Couffaine. "Ah, merde."

\----

Adrien walked away from the camera gear. He loathed every bit of it; as much as he smiled and appeared cheerful in his pictures, he hated photo-shoots. To him, photo-shoots were just a way for his father to show off his _trophy_ , nothing else. He was beyond glad that he was given permission to have a water break.

He headed over to the bench and slumped, staring out at the lake. The photo-shoot occurred near the docks and they were close enough to capture shots of Adrien in front of the water. He unzipped his bag and grabbed his water bottle.

"I'm still hungry, Adrieeeeen..." He heard a whine from his bag and Adrien sighed.

"Did you seriously just eat _all_ that stinky cheese that I gave you?" He asked.

"Don't diss the camembert!" Plagg hissed as he popped his head out. "The camembert was perfect, soft, goooooey..."

The blonde boy was about to continue, when screaming rang throughout the area. He turned around, and watched in horror as civilian after civilian turned into empty shells when a light blue light passed them over. Hearing footsteps draw closer, Adrien snatched his bag and ducked behind some of the props from the photo-shoot. 

"An akuma?" He wondered aloud, Plagg floating by his head. They watched as the figure came into view, and Adrien's heart fell to his stomach. Something was familiar about her. He grabbed Plagg and ducked down when she turned her attention to the photographer.

Everything was quiet for a moment until the akuma spoke. "There," she said, and his eyes turned wide. He knew that voice. "You're free from your emotional burdens." 

Adrien listened as she walked away. "Marinette..." He frowned. Poor sweet Marinette had fallen into Hawkmoth's hands. He clenched his fists and Plagg's ears twitched.

"Adrien?" Plagg had rarely seen Adrien this furious.

"I can't believe he got her," he said "We gotta help her. Plagg, claws out!"

Apathique's heels clicked on the pavement as she strolled down the street, stealing any passerby's emotions from them. She came to a halt when a boy landed in front of her, holding a metal rod across his shoulders.

"It's not nice to take people's emotions, you know." Chat Noir chimed. Apathique scowled and he grinned. 

"You know, grey really isn't your colour, Princess." he blinked when she extended her hand. 

"The ring!" she demanded. "Give it to me!" 

"Sorry, but there's only one girl who's going to get a ring from me." Chat Noir got into a fighting stance when she pointed her wand at him. "Look, I know rejection hurts, believe me I do, but the heart wants what the heart wants." 

A small blue orb formed at the tip of Apathique's wand. Her vacant gaze locked on Chat Noir. "Let me help you, then." 

\----

Luka's wide eyes focused on the creature hovering before him. He opened his mouth to say something, but was at a complete loss of words. The creature blinked her large eyes and put one paw to her face as she pondered. 

"You have questions," she spoke finally. All Luka could do was nod and she hummed as she thought of the right things to say. "My name is Tikki, and I'm a Kwami." she informed him simply. The basics should work. For now, anyway. 

Luka blinked a few times. "Okay." he murmured as he released a breath, he didn't even know he was holding. He looked at the earrings that were dormant within the box.

The shouts of his mother, and the screams of Juleka, caused him to shoot up.

"Maman? Jules?!" He asked as he bolted to the door. Tikki let out a soft gasp.

_"Marinette..."_

"Mari?" Luka immediately stared down at the magical creature in front of him, who burrowed into his hoodie.

"Luka, you need to get out of here, you're in danger!" She pleaded.

"Danger? But what about maman? what about my sister?! I just can't leave them!"

"You have to! Get out of the window, quick! She must not get the earrings!"

However, before the boy could make his decision, a blue light shone through door gaps and the door was blown off. Luka took a few steps back in shock as Apathique waltzed right in his bedroom. It took a moment of locking his eyes on her, before he recognized her by her pigtails. "M..Marinette?!"

This new appearance was the contrast of the Marinette he knew. His spirit plummeted; Hawkmoth got her, she was akumatized. His best friend, his crush, was possessed by an akuma. The girl who helped him write songs, the girl who supported him with his music and would listen for hours as he played his guitar. The girl who was helpful and compassionate, was now a villain. He could hardly believe it.

"You have something of mine, give them over!" She ordered and raised her wand. In that moment, Luka gave a quick glance of the earrings. Instinct took over him as he closed the container and shoved it in his pocket. Apathique's eyes narrowed and the wand glowed.

A silver rod extended and Apathique was knocked back. The wand had fell out of her hands. A familiar figure came into view, black suit, belt-like tail, cat ears. 

Chat Noir!

"Sorry, Princess." Chat approached the wand. He was more than ready to snap it in half and release the akuma, at least he assumed it was in there. He didn't get much of a look during their short quarrel, because she noticed the houseboat, and she left the fight. Then, his ears twitched and his attention was turned to Luka. Chat stopped in his tracks.

Oh, what was he thinking? He couldn't do it without his lady. He needed Ladybug to purify the akuma or all of Paris would be swallowed up by the multiplying akuma; Hawkmoth's darkness. The best he could do now was rescue another victim.

Chat Noir, without hesitation, ran back to Luka. "Hold on!" He grabbed Luka around the waist. Before he could protest, the hero rushed through the boat and headed to the stairs. Behind them, magical beams were shot as Apathique chased her prey.

They got onto the deck and Chat Noir held onto his baton tightly. As they got to the edge of the boat, the baton extended and they landed on the docks. Apathique tried to fire more attacks; but the wand didn't respond. She glared at the lucky charm, it was flashing red. She grunted as she assumed she ran out of energy. She watched as Chat Noir and Luka became a small blur before vanishing from her view. 

She left the boat to gather more emotions; collect more energy for her battery.

\----

Luka hid behind a turret, Chat Noir left him on the roof-top of a building and assured he would be safe, before leaving to find Ladybug. Luka sat and leaned against the turret, staring at the earrings in his hands. The earrings were so familiar and he couldn't shake off the feeling why.

He fell into a deep trance. Marinette's breakdown, the earrings, the ladybug-like creature from the container. How she had been scared about Hawkmoth and who was going to stop him if she were akumatized, from what he comprehended. The fact Apathique knew where the earrings were; with him, because she gave them to him. Tikki saying that the villain could not get the earrings.

The unexplained absences at school, her exhaustion, the event where his mother was akumatized. Marinette somehow breaking out of the chains. Marinette mysteriously disappeared when Ladybug showed up.

He put his hand to his forehead. Marinette, the shy and awkward girl, was the brave, confident heroine Paris looked up to.

"Luka?"

Tikki's voice snapped him out of his mental state and he stared at her.

"Are you safe? Did Apathique hurt you?"

However, Luka didn't answer her questions. Instead, he decided to ask her one. "Tikki, is Mari...is she Ladybug?" 

Tikki's head jerked up, before she nodded as her feelers drooped. He figured it out anyway, there was no sense in lying to him. He _knew._

 __"And with Marinette...being akumatized, there's no Ladybug, and with no Ladybug...Marinette will stay akumatized? Forever?" A hint of sadness was heard in his pitch.

"No, not forever...if another person is chosen to be Ladybug, then-" Tikki got cut off.

"I'll be Ladybug!" Luka announced with determination, and Tikki froze. "Tikki, think about it. Mari has been akumatized. I know about you and her, and no one else should know Ladybug's true identity. Letting me substitute as Ladybug is your safest bet if you want to keep it a secret."

Tikki thought hard about it, Luka had a strong point. Tikki couldn't be seen by anyone, Ladybug's identity had to remain a secret. She started to ease as she thought about the interactions between Marinette and Luka, she trusted him with the secret. She couldn't just go out and tell anyone else about this, and going to Master Fu for guidance would take too long.

"... _Please?_ " Luka begged. "Please, let me save her..."

Tikki perked up and stared at him, after several moments, she smiled. "Alright, first. Put on the earrings."

Luka's hand reached up to his ears and he pulled out his black earrings, placing them in his pockets. Carefully, he put the Miraculous on. Then, he listened closely to Tikki's further instructions. The powers, the Lucky Charm, the yo-yo, the timer, everything. As much as he witnessed Ladybug in the past, he acknowledged it was best to listen to how it worked.

"And now, to transform into Ladybug, say Spots On, and if you want to transform back, Spots Off."

He nodded and stood up.

"Tikki, Spots On!!"

\----

Chat Noir ran towards his lady. "LB!" He called out in enthusiasm and delight, he had been worried - the akuma had been around for hours, and Ladybug hadn't shown up, he was scared her true identity had fallen victim to the villain's attacks.

After hearing the call, Ladybug turned around. Chat Noir took slow steps as he stared at Ladybug intently, his eyes fixated and observing up and down. Short black hair, red tips, different outfit. No, this was not his lady, this Ladybug had a black belt, he wore black gloves and boots, and even the spots were placed differently on the suit. His eyes sharpened and let out a growl at this impostor, his tail lashed. "You are not Ladybug..."

~~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, this has the biggest thing I have ever wrote, I never made anything with as many words before. But at the same time, probs the best thing I've written.
> 
> I hope y'all enjoy this chapter !! SpaceButterflies is going to work on the next chapter


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys. Thanks for reading up until this point! I hope you enjoy the chapter!

"You're not Ladybug," Chat Noir eyes the imposter. "Who are you?" he growls.

"Ah--" The not Ladybug's voice catches in his throat. "You're right, I'm not Ladybug. Well... Right now I am, but I swear it's only temporary!" he flinches back when Chat Noir readies his staff.

"Where's the real Ladybug, how did you get her Miraculous?!"

Oh, that was a good question. "I..." he sucks in a breath. "I can't tell you." This only seems to anger the other boy further. "I swear, I didn't steal them, but I can't tell you because of her identity!" he says, putting his hands up in defense. "I _promise_. I just need you to trust me right now, okay?"

Chat Noir hesitates. He lowers his weapon but his eyes narrow. "You know, the last time we had someone with a miraculous just show up, they turned out to be an akuma. How do I know you're not the same?"

"Well, have there ever been two different akuma's at once before?" 

"...No..." Chat Noir's tail twitches. "Give me one reason why I should trust you."

The not Ladybug lowers his hands. "I just want to help Marinette," he says, bangs falling over his eyes. "I hate seeing her like this. I can't just sit back and do nothing."

Chat Noir blinks in surprise. His expression softens."... Alright, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt." he says as he returns his staff to his belt. "But if you're lying... I'll make you pay for it."

Ladybug smiles. "Sounds good to me."

 

Ladybug's eyes scanned the streets below from where he stood on the rooftop of the school. People were wandering about as usual. But... They were so _lifeless_. He couldn't imagine going through life without feeling anything at all. 

"So," he jumps when Chat Noir leans over his back to get a look at the people below. "What's the plan?"

"We can either look for her or lure her to us. Somewhere without a lot of people so she can't power up again."

Chat Noir nods. "Sounds good, maybe we should trap her in the sports stadium? There's never anyone there, especially during an akuma attack. Which is kind of convenient now that I think about it..." his voice trails off as he rubs his chin.

Ladybug hums. "Alright." he stands upright and unclips the yo-yo from his belt. He stares at it, uncertain.

"You do know how to use that, right?" the blonde asks.

"Of course I do, I just... I'm new to this, give me a second." he watches Chat Noir take out his staff, and he makes a noise that sounds like the cross between a squeak and a yelp when he pulls him close by the waist.

"Just hold onto me, Doodlebug." Chat Noir winks.

Ladybug's face flushes as he gawks at the other. He clears his throat to help regain some composure. "Is this how you treat all the first time superheroes?"

"Only the ones in red and black."

 

Apathique stares blankly ahead as she walks down the sidewalk. She taps her finger on her wand, keeping her eyes open for Chat Noir and Luka. She comes to a brief pause when she hears crying before following the sound to its source; a little girl.

She steps up to the child, leaning over to her eye level with her hands on her knees. "What's the matter?" she asks.

"My--My mama and papa, they--" the child rubs at her eyes with her fists. "They're acting weird!"

Apathique clicks her tongue. "Oh, don't you worry. They're just fine," she tells her.

"Really?"

She nods. "I made it so your mama and papa won't be sad or angry ever again," she pats the little girls head with one hand, grasping her wand with the other.

"Yeah," she turns tense at the new voice. "They also won't be happy anymore, they won't feel _anything_ ever again."

Apathique whirls around to face Chat Noir, her eyes widening ever so slightly when they land on the boy at his side. "A replacement, huh?"

"Replacement is a strong word, I'd say he's more of an intern." Chat Noir responds, resting his elbow on Ladybug's shoulder. "Right, Doodlebug?"

Ladybug gives him an unimpressed look that easily rivals the true Ladybugs. He lets out a sigh when Chat Noir just grins. "Focus, Tomcat."

Apathique blinks, tightly gripping her hand. "Each of you has something I want," she says. "Now, are you going to be good boys and give them to me, or do I have to take them from you?"

"Princess, I told you already, only one girl is getting a ring from me." Chat Noir reminds her. He grabs his staff when she aims her wand at them.

Ladybug grips the yo-yo, looking behind Apathique to the little girl behind her. He nudges Chat in the ribs, nodding his head towards the child. Chat Noir nods and uses his staff to vault himself over Apathique, landing perfectly on his feet at the little girl's side.

"Hey there, little lady, why don't we get you somewhere safe while Ladybug and Apathique here have a nice chat?" he gives her a wink, holding out his hand for her to take. Once she does he scoops her up in one arm. "Hold on tight."

Ladybug and Apathique watch as Chat Noir and the little girl vanish over the rooftops. The girl turns back to him and he spins the yo-yo at his side.

 

"I want those earrings," Apathique says. "Hand them over."

"I can't do that, Marinette." Ladybug responds. "Not yet, anyway." A blue light at the tip of her wand catches his eye.

He rolls away just before the attack could hit him, and the sound of car alarms reach his ears, the blast having disrupted them on the streets. Ladybug quickly rises to his feet, gritting his teeth as Apathique charges another attack.

"Marinette, please! I don't want to fight you!" he pleads, not bothering to look behind hem when he hears Chat Noir's bell jingle as he returns to the scene. Apathique stares blankly at them, aiming her wand again, the attack nearly fully charged. "I know you're hurting, but we can help! Just give us the akuma, Marinette and we can--"

"I don't need your help! I don't _want_ your help!" she raises her wand and watches as they prepare to dodge. "You're not getting the akuma, now hand over the miraculous! This is your final chance!"

"But... Aren't you hurting?" Chat Noir asks, the ears on his head drooping a little. "I can't imagine not being able to feel anything... It's... Awful."

This causes Apathique to actually _laugh_. "Please. I'm doing the world a favor by taking away their emotions! Soon we won't live in a world with pain, sadness, anger... Everything will be better!" she declares.

"Without emotions, no one's going to feel love or happiness ever again!" Ladybug protests. "Is that the world you want? A world where your friends and even your own parents don't care about you?"

"Trust me, Marinette, that's not a world you want to live in!" Chat Noir adds. He sees Ladybug return the yo-yo to his belt, and take a step toward her.

"I know you're hurting, but if you keep doing this," he takes a few steps towards her. She's almost within arms reach. "You'll never feel love again," cautiously, Ladybug reaches for her wrist. "You'll never smile again, and... I don't want to be in a world without your smile."

Apathique stares at Ladybug with wide eyes as she lets his words sink in. She allows her grip to slack on the wand, her arm lowering and the magic flowing from it fading.

_"Don't let him trick you!" _Hawk Moth's voice is loud in her head. _"He just wants to bring you back into a world full of nothing but sadness and pain! Love only hurts you! Take his Miraculous, now!"___

__Just as Ladybug's fingers brush against the bracelet she wore, Apathique raises the wand again, quickly charging it up. The wind is knocked out of Ladybug's chest when Chat Noir's staff roughly jabs him in the side, causing him to fall to the side just as a beam of energy fires from the wand._ _

__He gets to his feet with Chat Noir's aid as Apathique readies another attack, gripping his now probably bruised ribs. He takes the yo-yo and throws it to a nearby chimney. "Time for Plan B," he says, glancing at Chat Noir, this time he's the one to take him by the waist._ _

__"Roger," Chat Noir gives him a grin. "Let's go somewhere more private, Princess, say... The sports stadium?" he waves goodbye to her as they take off, Ladybug's yo-yo pulling them to the rooftop._ _

__

__Once their feet touch the shingles, Ladybug heaves a sigh. "I thought I reached her..." he whispers sadly. "I was so close, I..."_ _

__"Hey," Chat Noir puts a hand on his shoulder "You did great. Just... They can't be reasoned with. No matter how hard you try." Ladybug nods his head, throwing his yo-yo to the next rooftop._ _

__Chat Noir takes out his staff, squeezing Ladybug's shoulder. "We'll save her. Don't worry."_ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First I do Adrienette... The I do Lukadrien(LukaChat?) flirting... I'm shipping trash everyone.
> 
> I'll see you guys in chapter six. Maybe. I don't know how long this is gonna be or if Vicky's gonna wrap it up in the next chapter or not. If they do wrap it up, we have an entire series planned and my work is next, so be on the lookout for that. (Also some other projects I'm working on.) Later!
> 
> Edit 8/31/2018: Vicky's sick, so they're not sure when they'll be able to work on chapter five. They'll have it up as soon as they're able to, so please be patient. Thanks, guys.
> 
> Edit 2 14/9/18: Sammy /Vicky/ here, I got over being sick and I promise I'll work on the next chapter asap, I haven't been able to think much about the next chapter due to being sick and I'm still not 100% better, but I'm sorting it out. Please be patient
> 
> Edit 3 26/9/18: Sammy here, sadly, there's been a lot of shit going on in my personal life and I haven't been able to focus on the chapter. I don't know when it'll be done, but I'll do it when I can.


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, Space here. Stained had been sick recently, and a bunch of other personal stuff happened, so they were unable to finish Apathique. So, I offered to do it so they could focus on all that other stuff, and here we are! Please enjoy the chapter (:

Ladybug and Chat Noir touchdown in the stadium. They turn to where they came from and hold their breaths as they wait for Apathique to make her entrance. When she doesn't, they exhale. Ladybug puts a hand to his chin and hums in thought.

"She used quite a bit of power during our first meeting with her..." he says. "She's probably charging up before coming to us."

Chat Noir nods. "Right... So what do we do?" he swallows hard when Ladybug doesn't look at him.

"We make her attack us," he tells him, eyes closed as he thinks. "until her power's run out then we go for the akuma, and try not to have our emotions taken."

Chat didn't really like the sound of that, but there wasn't much of an option. "But most importantly," Ladybug continues, this time looking him in the eye, his blue eyes ablaze with determination. "We _have_ to keep her in here."

 

Apathique enters the stadium, scanning the field for her targets. She narrows her eyes and calls out; "You're only delaying the inevitable by hiding!"

"Who said we were hiding?" she whips her head around to find Ladybug and Chat Noir seated in the bleachers. Chat Noir stands from his seat, leaning on his staff. "It's rude to keep your hosts waiting, you know."

He ducks when a small beam flies over his head, creating a hole in the side of the building. "Well, I can see you're not in the mood the talk,"

Ladybug rises, yo-yo in hand. "Marinette, please." he knows it's useless to try and reason with her right now, but he had to try it anyway. "We don't want to fight you."

Apathique readies another attack. "I'm not Marinette anymore,"

 

The stadium quickly became a wreck, the bleachers mostly destroyed, craters littered the field, and the stadium lights sparked with electricity from where the bulbs had been shattered. Avoiding Apathique's attacks was harder than Ladybug had anticipated. She was fast, nimble, and had a keen eye, so trying to take her by surprise was nearly impossible. 

Ladybug's back hits the wall and Apathique lunges for him. He ducks behind the bleachers, expecting her to follow, but instead, he can see that she turned her attention to Chat Noir through the seats. 

Chat Noir's tussle with Apathique is cut short when she fires a strong attack from her wand, sending him flying. He skids along the field on all fours, squinting to see through the dust cloud that was created from the attack. He's grabbed by the tail and pulled under the bleachers by Ladybug.

"You know, if we were in any other situation, I wouldn't mind being dragged under the bleachers by you," he says panting. He peaks out from their hiding place, watching as Apathique blindly searches for them.

"Maybe once things have calmed down, we can have some fun back here." Ladybug leans over him, a hand on his head for balance. He narrows his eyes when Apathique lets out a loud groan of frustration. One would think that she would be blindly attacking them, destroying everything around her to get to them. But... She wasn't. 

"She needs to see us in order to attack us," he muses aloud as everything clicked into place." she may be able to sense our emotions, but she can't take them if she doesn't know where they're coming from."

Chat Noir looks at him with uncertainty. "How can you be so sure?"

Before Ladybug can explain further, Apathique's eyes are on them as the dust clears. She raises her wand and fires another beam of energy at them, and the two jump in different directions to avoid being hit. Ladybug spins the yo-yo creating a shield as Apathique turns her attention back on him. The yo-yo shield is able to protect him from an attack, but the force of it causes him to slide backward. 

Chat Noir lunges at her with his staff, distracting her long enough for Ladybug to collect his thoughts. He watches them fight, taking note of how Chat's movements were becoming more and more sluggish. This wasn't going anywhere. At this rate, she'd run out of power, and he and Chat Noir would be too tired to even _try_ to avoid having their emotions taken from them. 

He looks at the yo-yo and remembers about the trump card Tikki told him about. Tossing the yo-yo in the air, he calls out; "Lucky Charm!" and he catches the item that was created in his open hand, staring at in confusion. "Silly string?" 

He eyes the can before looking up at the fight before him. He focuses on Apathique, her wand, his yo-yo Apathique again, her face to be specific, and then the can in his hand, then the bracelet and finally, Chat Noir as an idea pops into his head.

 

Apathique raises her wand once again. She has Chat Noir cornered and at her mercy, and soon, the ring would be hers. Just as she was about to strike, her wand is forcibly removed from her hand. She looks behind her to see that Ladybug has it in his grasp, only to toss it over his shoulder and run at her.

Apathique lunges for Ladybug, delivering a roundhouse kick to his chest, causing him to fall hard to the ground with a pained grunt. She's on top of him before he can make any move to stand.

"You're mine," Apathique says calmly, reaching for one of the earrings.

"LB!" Chat Noir cries, scrambling to his feet as Apathique pulls the earring out of his partner's ear.

Ladybug tries to stay calm as his disguise struggles to stay intact at the earrings loss. He smiles calmly and Apathique looks at him in confusion. "I was thinking the same thing, actually."

Swiftly, Ladybug seizes her wrist with one hand and sprays the can of silly string in her eyes with the other. Apathique drops the earing with a startled cry as she's blinded. Both hands fly to her face, her bracelet slipping off her wrist with the movement.

"Chat Noir heads up!"

Chat sees Ladybug throw the bracelet to him and without a moment's hesitation he says; "Cataclysm!" and catches it in his hand, letting the destructive power from his ring destroy it and free the akuma trapped inside it.

Ladybug scrambles for the earring, fumbling with it once he finds it to put it back in. Once it's back in his ear, he turns to Apathique, finding her rubbing at her eyes to try and rid herself of the silly string. He sees the bracelet crumble in Chat Noir's hand and the akuma emerging from it.

"That's enough trouble making for you," he opens the yo-yo, a purifying light shining from it. "It's time to de-evilize!" with a skilled swing of the yo-yo, he's captured the akuma. When he releases the trapped akuma, it's back to its natural white form, and it flutters away. "See ya, little guy."

 

"Miraculous Ladybug!" Marinette hears someone call out as she rubs her eyes. A warm feeling spreads through her, and all those negative thoughts and feelings she had ebbed away. She looks at her surroundings. When did she get to the sports stadium?

"Not too shabby for an intern," her attention is drawn to Chat Noir as he speaks to... To Ladybug? Only she was Ladybug... She thinks back for a moment, back to before her memory was all fuzzy. Her stomach flip-flops as realization dawns on her. "Although, we're going to have to cut your pay for almost losing the miraculous."

"You don't pay interns," Ladybug playfully punches Chat's shoulder.

The two turn to her and smile with relief. "Are you alright, Marinette?" they ask in unison, both extending a hand to her.

Marinette stares at them with wide eyes, hesitating for a moment. "I think so," she takes Ladybug's hand and stands up. "I... I'm sorry."

Ladybug smiles gently at her. "It wasn't your fault," he says, placing the restored charm hand. "I'm just glad you're okay now... I was--" a sudden beeping cuts him off and he puts a hand to one of the earrings. He looks confused for a moment. "Oh, this means I'm going to change back soon, right?" he asks, Chat Noir nodding in response.

"Right," he takes the yo-yo from his belt and gets ready to leave the stadium.

"But what about our bleacher date?" Chat playfully whines, earning a snort from Marinette.

"Maybe next time, Tomcat." Ladybug gives him a wink. "I'll see you guys around," he uses the yo-yo to grapple onto one of the stadium lights, and moments later he's out of sight.

Chat Noir grins and crosses his arms. "Not bad for a new kid, don't you think?" he looks to Marinette, grinning still. 

"Yeah, he was perfect, I'm sure." Marinette smiles. "Ladybug left the earrings in good hands."

 

Hawk Moth grits his teeth, holding his cane in a vice grip. "How is it that the Miraculous can fall into the hands of a stranger, but not yet mine?" he demands, glaring out the window. "Mark my words, Ladybug and Chat Noir; I don't care who's in possession of them, I _will_ have your miraculous' and this world will fall to its knees!"

 

Marinette sits alone on a bench in the empty locker room at school, bouncing her leg up and down as she tries to think. The day before; she had yelled at Luka when all he was doing was trying to help her and gave him the earrings, and then she was in the sports stadium. Everything in between was fuzzy, and she couldn't remember it no matter how hard she tried. Luckily, Alya had filled her in on what she knew, she was akumatized and focused on taking all of Paris' emotions, and a new Ladybug teamed up with Chat Noir to stop her.

"Oh, what have I done?" she asks herself. "How can I be Ladybug if I don't have the earrings anymore?" she covers her face. "He's probably a way better Ladybug than I could ever be, anyway."

"Marinette!" she lowers her hands from her face as Tikki zips up to her, looking _furious_. "No one can be a better Ladybug than you! How could you even say that? You're the best Ladybug I've ever had!" the kwami scolds her. "Just because you made a mistake won't ever change that!"

"Tikki!" Marinette scoops her up and holds her close, rubbing her cheek to hers. "Tikki, I'm so, so sorry! I didn't mean to, I--"

"Shh," the kawmi pats her cheek with a paw. "It's okay, Marinette."

"I can't believe you're Ladybug..." the two look to Luka when he sits down next to Marinette. "You really are an amazing girl, Marinette." he reaches up and removes the earrings, placing them in her hand.

Marinette smiles and puts the earrings on as Tikki sits on her lap and sifts around in her purse before pulling out a cookie. "Thank you, Luka. For everything."

Luke puts his own earrings in and smiles at her. "Don't mention it."

The door to the locker room opens and Tikki quickly vanishes inside Marinette's purse as Adrien steps in with Nino hot on his heels.

 

"You have a brother?" Nino demands as he follows Adrien to his locker. "I'm your best friend, how could you not tell me? I've been to your house, how have I not met him?"

"Well, first you never asked if I had a brother so I never brought it up," Adrien opens his locker, pulling out his duffle bag. "and, he's lived in Grenoble for the past few years for school, and doesn't come home often." he smiles. "I'm really excited to see him, I have so much to tell him!"

Marinette smiles. "I can't wait to meet him, Adrien," she says, feeling her face heat up when Adrien's smile brightens when he sees her.

"Marinette! Are you... Are you feeling okay?" he asks. "I was really worried about you."

Marinette opens her mouth, but no words come out as her brain stops working. Adrien was worried about her, and he's glad to see her okay. Adrien was worried about her, and he's glad to-- Luka nudges her, breaking her from her thoughts, and gives her an encouraging smile. "I'm doing much better,"

Adrien's face softens. "That's great, Marinette,"

Nino's phone buzzes and he looks at the screen. "Oh man, I'm going to be late." he quickly grabs his bag from his locker. "I have a study date with Alya, later dudes!" he runs off, the door swishing behind him.

Marinette lets out a small sigh, looking down at her lap, earning concerned looks from Adrien and Luka. "What's wrong?"

"I... I know I just said that I feel better, but I'm... Worried. About the cost of the repairs and papa's hospital bills... What if we can't afford either of them? What if we can't reopen the bakery? What if--"

"Marinette," Luka puts a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It'll be okay," he says with a smile. "Don't stress out too much about it, okay?"

"Yeah," Adrien sits down on her other side. "Everything will fall into place, but worrying about it isn't going to do anything but make you feel bad again." he puts a hand on hers and squeezes it gently.

"I know. But I can't get my mind off of it..."

Luka hums in thought, looking up and watching a ladybug crawl along the ceiling. "How about the three of us go to a movie then? I'll buy any snack you want, too."

"Oh yeah," Adrien agrees. "I hear that new robot movie is pretty good. I just need to make something up to tell my father, but I think a few hours of mindless entertainment will do us all some good."

Marinette blinks and looks between the two. They were gently smiling at her, waiting for her answer. She blushes and smiles happily. 

"I'd like that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that is the end of our super self indulgent "Marinette is akumatized and Luka substitutes as Ladybug, with a side of flirting" fanfiction.
> 
> We have many more stories planned to go along with this one, so keep an eye out for that! The next one will be by me and I already have most of it done, I'm just reworking it as I started it before we planned out the series and I need it to fit the continuity we have set up.
> 
> Big thanks to our pal Nico for the lucky charm idea. And an even bigger thanks to our readers!
> 
> See you in the next story! Stay Miraculous!


End file.
